Ferrari 208 GTS Turbo

20 April

Yes. A 2.0L V8. With a turbo. In a Ferrari.

The Fun Fact

The Ferrari 328 was the final form of the 308, a very analog mid-engined V8 Ferrari, with "32" meaning 3.2L, and "8" for the V8. However, as always, the politics and governance of "saving the world" meant high taxes for "big" engines, and so Ferrari decided to make this special little 2.0L model, the 208 GTS Turbo, an Italian Domestic Market version, to allow angry Italians to get their revenge on tax burdening policies, while also getting a good toy for the price.

Comical Nostalgia

Driving cars from such an old era "20" years ago (the 1980's) shows you how much engineers learn in 40 years. It also reminds you how much they knew at a time which today feels primitive. Consider the clutch. Not too heavy - But.. you have to bring your foot up to your face until it bites. And then you must dip the clutch all the way down into the floor, go through, reach the asphalt, and then it'll be ok to change gear. The pedal travel is so long it needs its own odometer. And, sometimes, double-clutching is needed, don't forget, all while shifting through the shifter gate. A spirited drive will exercise your left leg enough to have to go to the gym and work out your right one just to balance them out. The (quick) pop-up lights and simple leathered interior, along with the overall boxy design of the car take you to a time where cars were practical and raw, while getting to discover the benefits mixing luxury with performance-oriented thinking.

Driver Feel

The steering wheel is pure - No assistance of course, and not the best feedback compared to a 992 GT3 (just saying). But we already all knew that. What we forget is that with a car this light and this simple, the lack of aids and feedback doesn't mean much as there isn't such a problem in getting to know what the car can (and wants to) do. The dry 1,250kg body with 250HP and a total height of less than 1.13m means it is just as playful and handleable as it should be for the purpose of a Ferrari GTS of the time. It also means that the suspension didn't have to be so stiff to the point of wishing there was a "comfort +++" button in the car somewhere. And that's the beauty of lightness. The 328 and 208 Turbo show you that an old car, even an 80's Ferrari, can be so comfortable to the point of taking it anywhere you want on your Sunday without hassle, even in a country like Greece with triple-dug-paved roads. Regarding the engine, the weirdest thing about this car's power is that it is relatively linear considering its specification. We are talking about a 1.991L V8. A 90° V8 smaller than the F20c in a Honda S2000. And, they gave it a turbo. The pops sound amazing and real (because they are amazing, and real), while the engine doesn't sound like anything specific. No V8 noises, and no weird unique sounds either. You just hear a normal 2.0L something engine, screaming in an Italian accent. All the above means that you can enjoy a lot of fun, comfortable, quick driving, once you've gotten used to the long overhangs in front and back. But I really do mean that the comfort is good. You could drive this car through any Balkan road for 2 hours and be fine. The specific 208 Turbo is also in such good condition that you hear no rattling, and none of the gauges are phased by any style of driving, showing how these old Italian girls aren't that bad if you just love them (they're worth it).

The weird thing about driving this car is that you feel like a retired Elvis Presley on one hand, knowing that you are bringing people joy while looking cool, while controlling a moving, breathing piece of Italian art, while also feeling fine and normal doing so. The beauty, comfort, and simplicity of this car mean that you can live your own Italian movie with ease, while being passed by Ecoboost Fiesta drivers who wish they were in your seat, and not care. What a cool experience.